We received an encouraging reply from Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Here is his letter:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the U.S. Supreme Court. I appreciate hearing from you on this important matter.

Donald Trump, Senator Mitch McConnell, and Senate Republicans violated rules, procedures, and norms to install a far-Right extremist majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. They have politicized the Court, undermined its legitimacy, and threatened the rights of millions of Americans, especially people of color, women, and our LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.

In this context, I am especially troubled that Supreme Court justices have been involved in alarming and potentially unethical behavior, including exhibiting a disregard for impartiality on cases and a lack of necessary financial transparency. Any Justice must recuse themselves from participation in cases that would present a disqualifying conflict of interest for federal judges. Next, all Justices should disclose to the American people all personal and commercial hospitality gifts received while serving on the Court. Without binding ethical standards, the Supreme Court will continue to police itself poorly and allegations of misconduct will remain unaddressed.

Congress must do its part in fixing our broken Supreme Court. That is why I reintroduced the Judiciary Act (S.1616) to expand the Court and restore the American people’s confidence in our judicial process. This legislation would add four justices to the Supreme Court to create a thirteen-member bench. Those four new seats, to be filled by President Biden, will reconstitute the Court, which will then reflect the values of the majority of the American people, on whose behalf its justices serve. I also support a number of judiciary reform bills, including the Supreme Court Ethics Act (S. 325); the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act (S. 359); and the Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act (S. 1908). Among other critical reforms, these three bills would require  Supreme Court justices to follow a binding ethical code.

Rest assured that as your Senator, I will keep your thoughts in mind and continue to fight to end the right-wing capture and politicization of the Supreme Court and ensure that our highest court operates fairly and impartially. 

Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. To sign up for my newsletter, visit http://www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.